They say January is when a high school basketball team reveals its character… well, the Mannford Lady Pirates showed plenty of character last week as they won three of their four games and advanced their record to 7-4 overall.
The week opened Tuesday night at home, where Mannford shook o the rust of the calendar fl ip and rolled past Sperry 56–42 in a game that maybe felt like a reset button for the second half of the season. After a tight fi rst quarter, the Lady Pirates steadily widened the gap, leaning on pace, pressure, and a familiar scoring punch.
Addison Pehrson led the way with 27 points, setting the tone early and never letting it slip. Adley Elliott followed with 12, Ashlyn Elliott added 10, and Mannford’s balance showed as the lead grew quarter by quarter.
“Good win to start the second half of our season,” said Head Coach Nathan Reed. “Sperry teams are always tough and gritty, but our girls were just excited to get on the fl oor together. It is always nice to win one at home.”
That win carried Mannford straight into the Verdigris Tournament — and into a stretch that tested more than legs.
Thursday’s opener against Coweta turned uphill almost immediately. Mannford managed just fi ve points in the fi rst quarter, dug a hole, and spent the rest of the night chasing an athletic Coweta squad that capitalized on turnovers and transition chances. Despite a second-quarter surge and a competitive second half, the Lady Pirates fell 42–36.
Adley Elliott paced Mannford with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Marin Chapman chipped in six points and three assists.
Addison Pehrson fi lled the stat sheet with four points, four rebounds, and four assists, and Lexi Lovekamp pulled down eight boards in a physical contest.
“We had a pretty slow start to this game, and digging that hole early was a major hurdle,” Reed said. “Facing an athletic team like Coweta, you cannot lose the turnover battle and allow them to get out in transition, and we did just that. Tough loss today but we have an opportunity to bounce back tomorrow.”
Bounce back they did. Friday’s matchup with Wagoner had all the makings of a grind, and that’s exactly how it played out. The game swung back and forth, neither team able to land a knockout blow, until Mannford’s work on the glass began to tell. The Lady Pirates pulled away late for a 45–41 win that felt heavier than the four-point margin.
Pehrson again led the charge with 20 points, fi ve rebounds, and four steals, while Adley Elliott delivered a rugged 15-point, ninerebound night. Ashlyn Elliott added fi ve, Emma McCrackin chipped in three, and Lexi Lovekamp anchored the interior with eight rebounds.
“Basketball is an up and down game, and this one swayed back and forth,” said Reed. “Wagoner is another very athletic team and our girls stayed together and found a way even through the mistakes. I feel like our e ort on the glass was the di erence today, winning the rebound battle by plus-11.”
By Saturday, legs were tired, but resolve wasn’t.
In the consolation championship against Jay, Mannford fell behind early — again — staring at a double- digit defi cit that could have ended the week on a sour note. Instead, it became the exclamation point. The Lady Pirates clawed back possession by possession, erased the gap, and surged ahead late to claim a 46–44 comeback victory and the consolation title.
Pehrson delivered one more statement performance, pouring in 26 points with four rebounds and three blocks. Marin Chapman added nine points, Adley Elliott dominated the boards with 12 rebounds to go with fi ve points and three steals, and Ashlyn Elliott stu ed the stat sheet with six rebounds and four steals. Every possession mattered. Every player contributed.
“Getting down by that much early is not the way we drew it up,” Reed said. “But what a comeback. Great team e ort today to capture the consolation championship at Verdigris. This team showed a ton of toughness this week, playing four games in fi ve days. We got better, and that
is our goal every day.”
Four games in fi ve days.
Three wins, a hard lesson, and a bit of hardware for the trophy case.
More importantly, the Lady Pirates left the week knowing exactly who they are — a team that responds, rebounds, and refuses to fold when the game turns uncomfortable. January basketball rarely hands out guarantees, more like grenades, but Mannford showed it’s more than ready for whatever comes next.